Norway’s commitment to sustainability in the seafood sector is firmly embedded in its policies and practices

UK's Top Chef Talent Immersed in Sustainable 'Blue Food' Culture

NORWAY
Tuesday, October 07, 2025, 00:00 (GMT + 9)

Educational Trip, Hosted by Seafood from Norway (SFN), Aims to Educate Future Culinary Leaders on Responsible Fishing and the Northeast Atlantic Supply Chain.

A delegation of top culinary talent and influential figures from the UK traveled to Norway for an immersive educational experience designed to inspire the next generation of hospitality leaders. The initiative, hosted by Seafood from Norway (SFN), focused on deepening the understanding of sustainable seafood, or 'blue foods.'

Simon Hulstone - Pot Fishing for Norwegian King Crab. Photo: Norwegian Seafood Council

From Ocean to Plate: Traceability and Experts

The group included SFN Chef Ambassador Simon Hulstone (owner of the Michelin-starred The Elephant restaurant in Torquay), Jonny Smith (Young National Chef of the Year 2025), April Partridge (2023 Roux Scholar), and Jose Souto (Head Lecturer at Westminster Kingsway College). They closely followed the entire journey of Norwegian seafood.

The trip, which passed through northeastern Norway—from Kirkenes and Vardø to Tromsø—allowed participants to experience the rigorous environmental standards and transparency of the Norwegian supply chain firsthand.

Seafood prep with chef Gunnar Jensen Photo: Norwegian Seafood Council -->

The group engaged in several activities highlighting sustainability in practice:

• King Crab Pot Fishing: Low-impact fishing alongside local fishermen demonstrated traceability systems in action.

• Resource Management: A seminar with Norges Råfisklag detailed the governance, quota system, and long-term planning for Norway's seafood value chain.

• Whitefish Processing: At Norfra's Bruket facility, chefs learned about preparing cod and haddock, as well as saithe (pollock), an emerging species poised to become a staple on British menus.

From Aquaculture to Cultural Sustainability

Simon Hulstone highlighted the potential of saithe: "Trying saithe as an alternative white fish species to cod and haddock was a bit of a revelation for me... That’s my mission now - to get saithe on people’s radar here in the UK."

April Partridge cooking in chef Gunnar Jensen's kitchen. Photo: Norwegian Seafood Council

A visit to the Ocean Stories Centre in Honningsvåg provided a deeper understanding of salmon aquaculture and Norway's fishing heritage. José Souto emphasized the importance of knowledge: "This trip has been about teaching the chefs of tomorrow about sustainable seafood – not just how to cook it, but to understand its provenance and why this matters."

The culinary highlight was a workshop with chef and expert Gunnar Jensen, where participants prepared dishes using seasonal seafood like cod, saithe, stockfish, trout, snow crab, and cold-water prawns, all sourced from the Barents Sea and Norwegian fjords.

Jonny Smith and Simon Hulstone cooking in Chef Gunnar Jensen's kitchen. Photo: Norwegian Seafood Council

The tour concluded with a presentation by the Norwegian Fisheries Directorate on robust regulation and long-term modeling for protecting marine biodiversity. Bjørn-Erik Stabell, NSC UK Country Director, stated the initiative aims to "invest in the next generation of culinary leaders" and ensure 'blue foods' are solutions for future food security.

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